3/20/2016

USA PRESIDENT HISTORIC TRIP TO CUBA FOR INVESTORS

HAVANA CUBA: USA President Barack Obama arrived in Hanana Cuba on Sunday on a historic 88 year old visit that begins a new chapter in U.S.-Cuba Business Investment with the island's Communist government after five long decades of animosity between the two American neighbors. President Obama landed at Havana's Jose Marti International Airport aboard Air Force One, the presidential jet with "United States of America" across the side which is a sight almost a miracle not long ago. Obama & his family stepped onto the red carpet in the Havana rain. Obama and his family, smiling broadly and with umbrellas in hand, were greeted by Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez who is the first Cuban to welcome a USA president in over 88 years. They then stepped into a black armored limousine that was flow in from Washington, with U.S. and Cuban flags on the hood, and headed out in their Cuba-USA motorcade.

Th is is the first trip to Cuba by a U.S. president to Cuba in 88 years, after 18 months of diplomatic openings announced by Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro in December 2014, ending a Cold War-era estrangement that began when the Cuban revolution ousted a pro-American government in 1959. Obama, who abandoned a longtime U.S. policy of trying to isolate Cuba, wants to make this US-Cuba shift irreversible. But major obstacles remain to full normalization of ties, and the Democratic president's critics at home say the visit is premature.

Traveling with first lady Michelle Obama, her mother and their daughters, Sasha and Malia, the president was to visit the newly reopened U.S. Embassy and then play tourist on his first night on the Caribbean island, taking in the sights of Old Havana. He will hold talks with Raul Castro – but not his brother Fidel, the revolutionary leader - and speak to entrepreneurs on Monday. He meets privately with dissidents, addresses Cubans live on state-run media and attends an exhibition baseball game on Tuesday. With over five decades of hostility between Washington and Havana president Obama is making World History as the first sitting American president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge arrived on a battleship in 1928.

It is also another major step in chipping away at remaining barriers to U.S.-Cuba trade and travel and developing more normal relations between Washington and Havana. Obama and his family will have a tour of Havana followed by a State Dinner and a Cuban All Star baseball game followed by his First TV address directly to teh people of Cuba on Cuban TV tonight at 10pm.

Since last year the two sides have restored diplomatic ties and signed commercial deals on telecommunications and over 100 flights with regular airline service. CUBA has also announced that it has signed business Joint Ventures with Starwood hotels & Resorts as well as expanded Private room bookings with Air BnB of USA. Soon many other American companies will be opening Cuban investments with the blessing of the American and Cuban governments